On the road

As peppy and interesting as the 2.4L was in the Lancer, it really leaves the driver begging for more in the Outlander. Under hard acceleration, the engine note is raspy which breaks with the refined surroundings of the Outlander. Somehow, I do not remember the 2003 Outlander with its 140 hp as being as feeble. My average fuel consumption hovered around 12.5L per 100 km.

The 4-speed transmission is sluggish. Response time is slow which makes highway passing an exercise in frustration especially when the engine revs somewhere around 2 300 rpm at 100 km/h. A fifth gear could probably solve all of the powertrain shortcomings.

The ride of the Outlander could be characterized as being dry and not exactly comfortable. I am willing to bet that the LS model with its 16" wheels has a smoother drive. On the highway though, the Outlander is stable and linear. Steering is car-like; precise and nicely weighted. The chassis feels well sorted out and is devoid of rattles and generates a sense of quality.

Safety

The Outlander has standard dual front air bags, side air bags (Limited only), ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution (XLS and Limited only) and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the 2004 Outlander 4 out of 5 stars (a good result) in frontal impacts for both driver and passenger. It also gave 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for the front passengers and 4 out of 5 stars for the rear passengers in lateral impacts. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it a "Best Pick" in its category.

Conclusion

What I liked most about the Outlander is its useful, compact go anywhere outer dimensions. This vehicle is very easy to drive and will always be able to swallow just about anything you throw at it. Thanks to its flexibility, the Outlander could be described as being a near-perfect urban commuter however without the finesse some of the major players in this category have. To get the most out of driving the Outlander, I suspect that the 5-speed AWD LS would prove to be the most satisfactory.

Once again, one of the principal arguments is Mitsubishi's unrivalled 10 year powertrain warranty. My concerns over the motor's output could be much less of an issue than I make it out to be. I think a good test-drive is in order if you are considering one of these means of transport.

Good stuff:
Versatility and interior space
Styling

Not so good stuff:
What happened to the 2.4L?
Lazy transmission

Competitors:
Honda CR-V
Toyota RAV4
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute
Nissan X-Trail